What to do in Lisbon

Information for travellers

Nice weather, delicious food, and welcoming locals are more than enough reasons to start packing and planning your next visit to Lisbon!

Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal, is a destination that’s easy to plan for. From groups of friends to families with kids, Lisbon is a city that is well-prepared to receive all type of travelers, and ensure they have everything they need to enjoy a great time!

Nevertheless, there are some important things you should know before you come to Lisbon. At Central Hill Apartments we put together a few must-knows so you can plan the perfect trip!

Weather & best time to visit Lisbon

Lisbon is a popular tourist destination from March up to October, during this period of about 7 months you will get temperatures above 15ºC/59ºF and almost no rain. However, what most don’t know is that during Fall and Winter (October to mid-March) the temperatures don’t drop too much and there is also little rain, making them great periods for tourists who prefer to get away from the crowds.

If you want to go for the High Season, August and July are the most crowded months, followed by June, especially around the St. Anthony festivities (June 12 and 13). January is the quietest month with far fewer special events than any other time of year, and with most locals getting back to a normal pace after Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Did you know? Lisbon is the 3rd sunniest city in Europe, with an average of about 300 sunny days per year.

How to get from the airport to Lisbon’s city center

These are the various ways to get from the Airport to the city center:

Private Airport Transfer Service: This is the fastest, most comfortable, and safest way to get to your apartment. A chauffeur will pick you up from your Terminal with a sign with your name on it. You can book it with us (we offer 10% discount on all reservations made on our website).

Taxi: A taxi is also a comfortable option but you might need to wait up to 30min at the taxi cue. Make sure they turn on the meter and be careful with hidden and extra fees they might try to charge you.

Metro: The metro is also a good option but be sure to look careful at the map, as it will require to change lines to get to the downtown area. The trip will take you a minimum of 45min depending on the time of the day.

Aerobus: You can also take the aerobus from the airport, although we don’t recommend it as it will take long, are usually quite full and the stops are further from the apartments than the Metro.

Where to stay in Lisbon

Alfama: Here you can experience the most typical Lisbon, eat at local restaurants, watch Fado and have the best views over the city! However, its not recommended for families with kids or elderly people due to its steep streets and rough pavement.

Principe Real / Bairro Alto: the trendiest neighborhoods in Lisbon known especially for their restaurants and nightlife. Late afternoon you see people crowding the terraces to have a drink, looking for a restaurant to dine and then hit the bars.

Baixa / Chiado: These areas are considered the heart of Lisbon. The architecture, the local shops and cafes and the monuments, from Chiado all the way to Terreiro do Paço at the riverfront, the downtown of Lisboa is a must go for every tourist.

Avenida da Liberdade: In this impressive and beautiful area you will find the most premium and expensive designer stores, trendy restaurants, and nice cafes. Going from Marquês de Pombal down to Restauradores and Rossio, this is the most exquisite area in Lisbon.

Portuguese for beginners

Don’t worry if you aren’t fluent in Portuguese. Portuguese people are some of the best non-native English speakers in the world, and some are even fluent in other languages like French and Spanish. Not only is learning a foreign language mandatory in schools from 5th to 12th grade, but in Portugal, the television shows and movies are subtitled, not dubbed, which helps a lot.

Here are some basic greetings in Portuguese to get by:

Obrigado/a – thank you. Men say obrigado and women say obrigada;
Bom dia – good morning, a greeting expression used before lunch time;
Boa tarde – good afternoon/evening;
Boa noite – good night. Some people will use it as a substitute of boa tarde after nightfall;
Adeus – goodbye

Business hours & traffic

Most Portuguese have the habit of not eating breakfast at home, so many cafés open as early as 7 a.m. Portuguese are also known to be late eaters (especially dinner), with Restaurants open for lunch from 12am to 3pm and reopening for dinner from 7pm up to 11pm. Lots of restaurants serve meals all day long.

Typically, street shops open every day at 9am and close at 7pm, although on Saturday they might close at 1pm and on Sunday close entirely. Shopping malls are open every day, from 10am to midnight. Museums usually open at 10am and close at 5pm, from Tuesday to Saturday. Closing time usually changes in the summers, with one extra hour in the afternoon.

Traffic in Lisbon can be a bit chaotic, especially during rush hours from 8 to 9.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the afternoon.

Get your Lisboa Card

The Lisboa Card is the official Lisbon tourist pass. It gives visitors unlimited use of the city’s public transport as well as free access and discounts to more than 80 museums, monuments and other landmarks (check the full list here)

You can buy 3 types of Lisboa Cards. The 24-hour card (Adult: 19€; Child: 12€), the 48-hour card (Adult: 34€; Child: 18€) or the 72-hour card (Adult: 40€ Adult; Child: 21€).

You can buy the Lisboa Card at the Lisbon Airport, at the Lisboa Welcome Center on Praça do Comércio or at the Foz Palace at Praça dos Restauradores. However, it is recommended buying the card here in advance and exchange the voucher for the actual card at any of the 3 locations.

Local Tip: For people with the European Youth Card it might not compensate to buy the tourist pass, since most attractions are free or offer great discounts for students and young people.

Contacts & Useful Information:

Emergency Number: 112

Police: +351 21358830021

Fire Department: +351 213422222

Pharmacy: Avenida Álvares Cabral 1 (24H), +351 21 386 3044

Hospitals close to Downtown Lisbon:

• Hospital de São José, R. José António Serrano, +351 21 884 1000
• Hospital Dona Estefânia (pediatric hospital), Rua Jacinta Marto 8A, +351 21 312 6600